Book seven in the Cleopatra Fox series, published in 2023, is available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook.

Archer continues the stories from book six, set in London in June 1900, when Cleopatra must placate her family and attend many social engagements. One is the polo championship match. Cleo takes in the splendor of the club grounds until she notices two players, wearing different team colors, arguing at the top of the clubhouse steps. Members of their teams collect the players, ending the argument, and the match begins. The horses are magnificent, fast, and thunderous. When the house team wins the cup, everyone rejoices. The joyous atmosphere fades as guests leave and players head to the change rooms. Cleo and her cousins are about to depart when someone shouts for help. Cleo races ahead to discover the bludgeoned body of the opposing team captain and the house team captain holding a bloody mallet.

Her murder investigation overlaps with Harry’s ongoing investigation into the family of the prime suspect, so it makes sense for them to work together until they find out who really killed the victim: his wife, lover, best friend, opposing team captain, the stable groom, or the major. Each has motives, but which one is the killer? The investigation uncovers a horse-doping scheme and reveals the victim’s lack of scruples with his mistresses, singers, dancers, and even young society girls. He lured them to his bed, reputations ignored. Gossip says he and the other captain were too alike to get along and were always in competition. Is that enough to kill the man? Cleo and Harry must work through the mire to find the real culprit before they get away.

At the hotel, life isn’t running smoothly. A guest brought his motorcar, and at Uncle Ronald’s request, the mechanic parked it in the stable. This angered the coachman, who decided to go on strike. Frank, the doorman, also went on a semi-strike in support, making life difficult for the staff and family and angering guests. Harry negotiates with the coachman to present agreeable terms to Uncle Ronald and end the strike, returning the hotel to normal.

Archer’s tightrope relationship between Harry and Cleo is off balance in this book. Uncle Ronald’s attempt to pair Cleo with an American guest brings out Harry’s jealous streak. He investigates the man and gives Cleo a full report, which she resents because he went behind her back, showing he does not trust her to handle it herself. The friendship is one step forward, two steps back, then a leap forward and an equal jump back. Readers experience the angst of junior high in this should-I-shouldn’t-I romance. There are real consequences if the couple goes ahead, but can Archer make up her mind and avoid the stress and pull?

The book was still a good cozy mystery, fast and easy, a 2.5-star read.